Greg Anton, Steve Kimock, John Farey, Bobby Vega
John Cipollina (1943-1989), Martin Fierro (1942-2008)
Zero was founded by Steve Kimock and Greg Anton in 1980 in Marin County. Their music being a mixture of jazz, rock and blues - free flowing. Soon they were joined by other Bay Area musicians from the psychedelic caravan, sharing the same spirit: John Cipollina, John Kahn, Banana, Martin Fierro, Bobby Vega, John Farey and Steve Wolf.
| It's not the vocals that define Zero's music - it's never ending instrumentals - a mental journey if you will. Never chaos though - a well organised trip of musicans who know how to blend their own ways of playing into one way. All being equal and sharing a high quality approach when it comes to recording and playing live - a common goal. The Zero Point! Due to this high quality their first two albums, "Here Goes Nothin'" and "Nothin' Goes Here" were even (re-)released by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (Original Master Recordings). Simply because the company's high quality approach and Zero's musical output matched. Nevertheless the albums disappeared way to early from the MFSL catalogue and thus became rare collector items. John Cipollina was a constant member of Zero until his death in 1989. His rhythm guitar playing can be heard on the first three Zero albums. Steve Kimock has always been the lead guitar player and although he is so talented, he is following Cipollina in not getting the recognition he deserves. Another unsung guitar hero. Even Jerry Garcia mentioned Kimock as one of his favorite guitar players, subsequently Zero always had many fans from the Deadhead scene. |  Zero 1995: Martin Fierro, Chip Roland, Steve Kimock, Bobby Vega, Greg Anton |
 Martin Fierro | After their third album "Go Hear Nothin'" which is a live recording, Greg Anton was asked in 1991 to compose a soundtrack for a stageplay based on the mid-sixties film 'The Pawnbroker'. He did this with members of Zero. Unfortunately the soundtrack wasn't released as an album and only available on audio cassette. In 2002 the German Taxim label finally released "Zero Blues" on CD. In addition they also re-released Zero's second album "Nothin' Goes Here". Over the years Zero released four more records (information provided underneath). Some band members left and others joined. The core of Anton and Kimock being the same. A major change was the addition of Robert Hunter as lyricist and Judge Murphy on vocals. This took Zero to yet another level - bringing their instrumentals together with Hunter's lyrics. The high quality remained. Zero stopped playing together at the change of the century but returned to play several shows in 2007. Members included: Steve Kimock, Greg Anton, Martin Fierro, Liam Hanrahan, Melvin Seals, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay and John Morgan Kimock. Update 2008: Martin Fierro, who has been a founding member of Zero, passed away Thurday - March 13, 2008 from cancer - please follow the link and read more about Martin on his website. |
Zero Discography:
 | Here Goes Nothin' (Relix Records, 1987) (Mobile Fidelity, 1990) | Golden Road -- The Core -- Little Wing -- Straight Jackets -- Girls Drums -- Showboat* -- Tear Tags Off Mattresses -- Severe Tire Damage -- Goin Down * Showboat on CD only Musicians: Steve Kimock, John Cipollina, Greg Anton, John Farey, Steve Wolf, Bruce Unsworth, Scott Roberts, Alex Ligertwood, Martin Fierro, Bobby Vega, Hadi Al-Saadoon, Banana, Howie Howard, Donna Godchaux | |
 | Nothin' Goes Here (Whirled Records, 1989) (Taxim Records, 2002) | A Little Wind A Little Water -- Tongue 'N Groove -- Gregg's Egg's -- Many Rivers To Cross -- This Is Your Brain On Drums -- Tangled Hangers -- Theme From Nancy Germany -- This Is Your Brain -- Super Sonic Transport Musicians: Steve Kimock, Banana, Greg Anton, Hadi Al-Saadoon, Bobby Vega, John Kahn, Martin Fierro, John Cipollina, Marty Levine, Dave Cort, Tony Saunders, Ana Rizzo |  from TAXIM! |
 | Go Hear Nothin' (Live) (Whirled Records, 1991) | Who Knows -- Golden Road -- Super Sonic Transport -- Straight Jackets -- Severe Tire Damage -- Gregg's Egg's -- Tangled Hangers -- S.T.D. Musicians: Steve Kimock, John Cipollina, Greg Anton, Martin Fierro, Banana, Boby Vega, John Kahn, John Farey, Hadi Al-Saadoon | Out of print! Try eBay GEMM ... |
 | Chance In A Million (Whirled Records, 1994) | Chance In A Million -- Horses -- Catalina -- End Of The World Blues -- Home On The Range -- Forever Is Nowhere -- Mercury Blues -- Roll Me After Musicians: Martin Fierro, Steve Kimock, Greg Anton, Judge Murphy, Pete Sears, Bobby Vega, Liam Hanrahan, John Kahn, Vince Welnick, Nicky Hopkins, Robert Hunter, Kathryn Warner | |
 | Zero (PopMafia, 1997) | Pits O' Thunder -- Friday's Child -- Roll Me Over -- Spoken For -- Possession -- 8 Below Zero -- Did I Mention -- Sun Sun Sun -- Ermaline -- Kissin' The Boo-boo Musicians: Greg Anton, Steve Kimock, Bobby Vega, Chip Roland, Martin Fierro, Judge Murphy, Robert Hunter, Steve Blacke, Pete Sears, Diana Mangano, Benny Velarde, Lonnie Walter | |
 | Nothin' Lasts Forever (Live) (Pop Mafia, 1998) | Cole's Law -- Papa Was A Rollin' Stone -- This Is Your Brain On Drums Part 2 -- Ermaline -- Forever Is Nowhere -- Home On The Range -- Little Wing -- I Want You (She's So Heavy) Musicians: Steve Kimock, Greg Anton, Martin Fierro, Chip Roland, Bobby Vega, Judge Murphy, Lonnie Walter | |
 | Double Zero (Live) (2Burn1 Records, 2002) | Introduction -- Golden Road -- Pits Of Thunder -- Forever Is Nowhere -- Do The Meditation -- You Can't Keep A Good Man Down -- Highway 61 Revisited -- Listen Here -- Into The Mystic -- Greeg's Egg's -- Papa Was A Rollin' Stone -- End Of The World Blues Musicians: Greg Anton, Martin Fierro, Steve Kimock, Judge Murphy, Chip Roland, Bobby Vega, Boots Rolf Hughston, Lonnie Walter, Wavy Gravy | |
 | Zero Blues (Taxim Records, 2002) | Chainlink Dawn -- Balls Blues -- In A Different Light -- Pale Through Shut Lids -- Out Of Earshot -- Tied To The Trestle -- Meaning Of A Man -- Rivers Of The Moon Musicians: Steve Kimock, Greg Anton, Martin Fierro, Terry Haggerty, Liam Hanrahan, Delilah Lewis, Dough Harmon, Isabel Tercero | from TAXIM! |
| Personnel | Instrument | Ex | To |
| Steve Kimock | lead guitar | Goodman Brothers, Heart of Gold Band | Steve Kimock Band |
| Greg Anton | drums, piano, organ | Heart Of Gold Band | Gregg's Eggs, Quicksilver Gold |
| Martin Fierro | sax, flute, percussion | Mother Earth, Jerry Garcia | |
| Banana | keyboards, vocals | Youngbloods | Steve Kimock & Friends |
| John Cipollina | rhythm guitar | Quicksilver, Copperhead, Dinosaurs | only God knows |
| John Farey | piano | Sound Hole, Sly Stone | |
| Steve Wolf | bass | ||
| John Kahn | bass | Jerry Garcia Band | |
| Bobby Vega | bass | Sly Stone | |
| Judge Murphy | vocals | ||
| Robert Hunter | lyrics | Grateful Dead | |
| and many more ... (see discography) | |||
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